The Internet has developed rapidly over the past several years, and is known as a very useful tool for obtaining and/or providing various information. Many people or companies who want to provide certain information have a web site which is accessible by Internet users through the Internet. The Internet users can obtain information by visiting the web site which is chosen by inputting the web site address. For example, consumer product companies have their own web sites which can provide information about their products as well as other information. Consumers can obtain necessary or desired information about their products by accessing to the web site through the Internet.
Those companies generally expect their users to re-visit their web sites repeatedly since it is believed that consumers can obtain appropriate and timely information about their products, thereby resulting in promoting their motivation for re-purchasing products. For example, The Procter & Gamble Company has an Internet web site at an address of http://www.pg.com/. This web site provides information relating to their products such as feminine hygiene products, baby care products, laundry and home care products, hair care products, cosmetic products, and the like.
Feminine hygiene products such as sanitary napkins, pantiliners and tampons are devices that are used by females during their menstrual cycles. These products are designed to absorb or otherwise contain liquid and other discharges from the human body and to prevent body and clothing soiling. It is well known that women who are the users of feminine hygiene products have a menstrual cycle which occurs once for about every 28 days on average. It is also known that physical and mental conditions of a women change day to day during her menstrual cycle. The change of these conditions is very personal or depends on the woman.
Conventionally, a woman typically monitors the numbers of days from the first day from her last menstruation so that she can make a daily, weekly and/or monthly plan for her future activities. It is because her physical and mental conditions change depending on the day in the menstrual cycle, and she wants to choose an appropriate or preferable activity which helps her better manage her cycle and improve the quality of her life.
In 1990, the population of menstruating women was about 60 million women in the US, about 30 million in Japan, and about 1.5 billion in the world. Every 28 days on average, these women (excluding those not menstruating because of pregnancy or other reasons), pass through their menstrual cycles. It is known that the body and mental conditions of a woman change depending on the phases the woman stands during the menstrual cycle. It is also known that the body and mental conditions of a woman is influenced by her hormone levels in her menstrual cycle. Thus, it is preferred that activities during the menstrual cycle are properly managed. Examples of such activities include conception planning, PMS (Pre-Menstrual Syndrome), countermeasures, product purchase planning, health improvement information, and the like. However, normally women are not completely aware of their current phases in their menstrual cycles. Thus, they can not regularly get appropriate information or advice at an appropriate timing. As a result, women tend not to effectively manage their activities appropriately during their menstrual cycles because of lack of information appropriately and timely obtained.
For example, many women experience from PMS which is symptomized by, alteration in mood, interrupted sleep, and lower sex drive. Most women are not aware that this condition is related to their menstrual cycle. Scientific studies have shown that vitamin and mineral deficiencies are associated with PMS symptoms. Specifically, it is said that Vitamin B6, and Calcium supplements can be taken to reduce or avoid the effects of PMS. If a woman is informed of the dates on which she will be experiencing PMS, and receive advise on how to reduce/avoid the effects of PMS, she can better manage her menstrual cycle.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need for a system and method for timely providing, through a computer, valuable information which is personalized based on a woman's menstrual data. There is also a need for a system and method for an Internet web site which can promote people's repeated visits to the web site and/or communication through electronic mails (or e-mails).